Does Dyeing Your Hair Carry Cancer Risk?

In long-term follow-up of Nurses' Health Study participants, personal use of permanent hair dye did not raise risk for most cancers or death from cancer.

In the U.S., over half of women use hair dye (predominantly permanent, containing substituted aromatic amines and other potentially carcinogenic chemicals). Using data from 117,200 women (>96% European ethnicity) in the Nurses' Health Study, which first enrolled participants in 1976 (baseline age range, 30–55), investigators assessed ever versus never use of permanent hair dye as well as cumulative dose (based on frequency and duration of use). Physician-diagnosed invasive cancers were confirmed with medical record review. Analyses were controlled for more than 30 variables.

Throughout the 36-year follow-up, 20,805 solid cancers (other than nonmelanoma skin cancer), 1807 hematopoietic, 22,560 basal cell, and 2792 squamous cell skin cancers w…

Reviewing Author

Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Grant/Research SupportMerck, Mithra, Medicines360

Editorial BoardsContraception; Menopause; Contraceptive Technology Update; OBG Management; Medscape OB/GYN & Women’s Health

Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Grant/Research SupportMerck, Mithra, Medicines360

Editorial BoardsContraception; Menopause; Contraceptive Technology Update; OBG Management; Medscape OB/GYN & Women’s Health

Does Dyeing Your Hair Carry Cancer Risk?

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Reviewing Author